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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26159719">The New Job</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emily_F6/pseuds/Emily_F6'>Emily_F6</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Penny Parker Prompts [21]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Female Peter Parker, Gen, Penny Parker - Freeform, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 13:07:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,260</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26159719</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emily_F6/pseuds/Emily_F6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Penny gets a job at a coffee shop when she and May need money</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Penny Parker Prompts [21]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1899553</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>362</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The New Job</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got a what?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penny sighed at Mr. Stark’s tone, tightening the tiny screw on her webshooter bracelet prototype and trying to focus while also keeping up that conversation.  “A job, Mr. Stark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why the hell would you do something like that?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes, swearing under her breath when the screwdriver slipped off the screw and she dropped the prototype back onto the counter.  They’d been working for three hours and her vision was starting to go blurry.  Bringing a hand up to her face, she pressed her fingers into her eyes.  A gentle hand took the screwdriver away then, and she opened her eyes for just long enough to watch Mr. Stark finish assembling the prototype with deft fingers.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why’d you get a job?”  He asked again, softer this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do people usually get jobs?”  She snapped a little, face coloring.  It wasn’t like she’d wanted a job…not really.  She already had her patrols as Spider-Girl and her internship at Stark Industries…which she was going to have to cut back on.  Not the official internship.  Just the extra lab days after school.  And she would miss them more than anything…but she had also seen the bills on the table and the lack of groceries in their house.  May’s hours had been cut, and Penny had needed another new backpack…the least she could do was bring in some extra money now that she was legally allowed to.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you guys need…”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re fine.”  She assured him, trying to lose the attitude.  “I just wanted to help out a little.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mr. Stark hesitated, then nodded.  “Alright.  Sounds good.  Hell, you’re better than I was.  I never even offered to get a job.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t you go to MIT at, like…five?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something like that.”  He grinned when she did.  “Where’s the job?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh…coffee shop in Queens.  It’s pretty close to home so May won’t worry about me walking.  Not that she should worry at all because I’m really strong and an actual superhero but whatever.”  She rolled her eyes and he snorted.  “It pays a whole ten dollars an hour.”  His eyebrows flew up and she snorted.  “Plus everybody splits the tips.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow….that’s …something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penny laughed.  “It’s only a few hours on the weekends, plus Mondays and Wednesdays after school.  I told them no Fridays because of my Internship.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that going to be enough time for patrols and school?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.  I can do school work on my break, patrol right after my shift, then finish my homework at home.”  She shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, kid.  Well, I’ll miss seeing you around the lab.  You know, this internship could be a paid thing.  I know the CEO of this company, and you didn’t hear it from me, but favorite interns make a lot more than ten dollars an hour.  Hell, they might even make thirteen.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penny rolled her eyes.  “Let’s eat.”  She suggested, standing from the stool where she’d been working.  “I’m starving.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He chuckled, following her to the elevator.  “We also offer free catered meals.  I’ll bet random Queens coffee shops don’t offer that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but I get a fifteen percent discount on baked goods and free coffee.  You don’t give me free coffee.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and after the incident with the web fluid I never will again.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penny started at the coffee shop the next day, and after three days of training, she pretty much had the hang of it.  Take orders at the register, take money, get bakery items, and occasionally, help make drinks.  There were recipes for most of them posted on the wall, and most people just wanted coffee, so it wasn’t too hard.  She worked the register most of the time, so the majority of her job consisted of taking people’s orders.  Boring but not difficult.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Most of her customers consisted of book clubs or bible study groups that met in the coffee shop, along with the twenty-somethings that came in with their laptop bags, ordered coffees, and typed away for a few hours.  Penny felt like she was doing pretty well, and on Wednesday, as she was kneeling and restocking bags, she heard footsteps.  Quickly straightening, she gave her best customer service smile, then froze when she found herself face to face with Mr. Stark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Around the coffee shop, several people had glanced up from their laptops and were openly staring at him.  “Can I help you?”  She asked, eyebrow lifted, and he grinned.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, yeah…first time here.  Usually, I’m more of a ‘brew-it-yourself’ kind of guy but I heard about this coffee shop from my intern so…I thought I’d try it out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She sounds pretty smart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, she’s alright.”  He shrugged, eyes twinkling with mirth.  “So, what’s good?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about a pumpkin spice latte?  Extra whip.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He snorted.  “One large black coffee, please.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rung him up, he inserted his black credit card, and she handed him his receipt.  As she was walking over to the coffee, she thought she saw him put a bill into the tip jar, but since they all shared tips, she couldn’t exactly tell him to cut it out.  Pouring him a large coffee, she placed a lid on it, then wrote ‘Mr. Stark’ on the cup in sharpie before handing it over.  “Have a nice day.”  She told him wryly.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mr. Stark gave her a cheery smile, then headed over to a corner booth, pulled out his tablet, and began to work.  Penny found herself staring at him for a moment, mouth open, but she just shook her head.  If Mr. Stark wanted to work from a coffee shop that day, she couldn’t exactly stop him.   Besides, she didn’t think her boss would want her to try.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penny had almost forgotten about Mr. Stark being there by the end of her shift.  They’d gotten a rush and she’d been so busy that she hadn’t even glanced over at him for a while.  But as she was untying her apron and clocking out, she looked over at his table and found it was empty.  Just a little stung that he hadn’t even said goodbye.  Still, it wasn’t like it had been a social call.  So she grabbed her purse and hurried out the door, jumping when she saw him leaning against his car, scrolling through his phone.  “Oh…Mr. Stark?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, kiddo.”  He grinned, looking up at her.  “Want a ride?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um…I live six blocks away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s dark.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are street lights.”  He just lifted an eyebrow and she let herself grin.  “Thanks, Mr. Stark.  You really don’t have to do this.”  He waved a hand, then opened the passenger door for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They didn’t talk about it at her internship on Friday, but on Saturday morning when she showed up to work at 7, it wasn’t twenty minutes before a familiar man in a ballcap showed up, a tablet held under his arm.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penny pressed her lips together, trying not to smile.  “So you liked the coffee?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hit me again, kiddo.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She snorted, ringing him up and heading over to the coffee urn to dispense his large black coffee.  As she was writing his name on the cup, as they’d been instructed to do for every customer, he spoke.  “You know, I’ve actually been recruiting for my internship program, and you look like the kind of kid whose pretty good at science.  I can match your hours here….and your salary.  Plus there are definitely scholarship opportunities.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Penny handed him his coffee with a smile, unable to help but notice that the other girl working with her was staring at him.  “Really?  I was looking into internships and I think Oscorp’s might be better.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His jaw dropped, and he pointed a finger.  “Brat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enjoy your coffee, Mr. Stark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stayed until the end of her shift at noon, and took her out to eat before dropping her off at home.  Any doubts about his visits being a one-off were dispelled when he showed up the next morning as well, asking for his black coffee.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know it’s seven am?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am aware.”  He told her with a nod as he inserted his debit card.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wanted to tell him that he didn’t have to do this.  But…but she liked having him there.  It was nice to look up every once in a while and see Mr. Stark working at his usual table, and soon enough, all of the regulars got used to the fact that their favorite coffee shop was also Tony Stark’s favorite coffee shop. A month passed, and then two.  May appreciated the extra help, although she made Penny keep half of her paycheck to spend or save however she wanted.  Penny used it to buy groceries that she would eat, and some clothes for herself so that May didn’t have to.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mr. Stark still offered her the internship every time he saw her, listing more and more reasons that she should take it.  “The salary really is better.  It comes with scholarships.  You’ll get to work with the amazing Tony Stark in his personal lab.”  All of her coworkers were, by this point, used to seeing him, and would say hello.  And it wasn’t long before Penny noticed that he paychecks were higher than they should be…because of his $50 tips every single time she worked a shift.    </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wanted to tell him that he didn’t have to do that…but all of her coworkers seemed to appreciate it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been almost six months since she started working at the coffee shop.  A Saturday morning at almost 9 am.  The morning rush had somewhat passed, and Penny knew it would start again soon, so she was restocking the cups and joking around with Marco, the guy she usually worked with on Saturdays since he’d started a few weeks ago.  He was just telling her something that his boyfriend had said about the president and making her laugh when the bell over the door chimed and her senses gave a quiet buzz.  He hurried back to his station, ready to make anything fancy if they wanted it, when her heart dropped.  The customer was a man with a hood drawn up over his face.  The woman with him wore a cap pulled low over her eyes, and they headed straight for Penny, both with their hands in their hoodie pockets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man stood right in front of her and pulled the gun out of his hoodie pocket, pointing it right at her.  Leaning in, he glared up at her.  “Open the drawer or my girl starts shooting people.”  He growled.  She felt frozen.  This wasn’t like her patrols.  Karen wasn’t in her ear, and she wasn’t in her suit.  She couldn’t reveal her identity.  Still, she couldn’t make her hands move.  “I said, open the drawer and give me the money now!”  He screamed the last part and Penny fumbled for it…but she had to key something in to open the register and she couldn’t remember what that was and suddenly the woman had a gun and she was pointing it at everyone in the room.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everybody on the floor!”  She screamed, and there was chaos and screaming and sobbing and Penny didn’t know how to open the drawer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then she heard Mr. Stark’s voice.  “Yeah, I don’t think so.”  The sound of a repulsor blast filled the air and the woman was on the ground, her clothes smoldering, the gun sliding across the floor.  “Didn’t anyone tell you this was Iron Man’s favorite coffee shop.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that was all Penny needed to hear.  His voice brought it all back into focus, and she remembered exactly who she was.  She grabbed the gun and the man’s wrist, forcing the barrel upward.  It discharged, a bullet lodging in the ceiling and raining down plaster on their heads, but she was too busy breaking his wrist to care.  He howled, and she brought back a fist, slamming it into his nose and watching him drop.  Marco watched from behind the coffee machine, and Mr. Stark hurried over, placing a foot on the guy’s chest and aiming his watch gauntlet at his face.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How about you chill out down there for a while?  I’m sure the police would be happy to deal with you.”  Just then, there were sirens, and Penny glanced around, wondering who had called the police.  Marco grinned a little shaky, holding up his cellphone which was on the line with 911.  Mr. Stark nodded at him.  “Good job, kid.  You know, there’s a coffee shop in my tower…at least, there will be by the end of the month.  Want a job.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um…uh…yes, sir…thank you, sir…”  Mr. Stark gave him a tired grin, then turned to Penny.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”  She told him, trying to ignore her shaking hands.  “Um…Mr. Stark?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”  He asked, dread in his voice all of a sudden, and she knew he thought that she was hiding some kind of injury, but other than the ringing in her ears, she was okay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You remember that internship job you offered me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face relaxed then.  “Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that offer still on the table.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mr. Stark removed his foot from the guy’s chest as the police stormed in, stepping around to the back of the counter and wrapping his arms around her without a moment’s hesitation.  Immediately, she felt safe, like nothing could ever touch her.  “Of course it is.  You can start on Monday.”</span>
</p>
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